Fr. McDermott has been a spiritual and retreat director since 1974. He is currently offering courses at Holy Trinity Parish, DC, with Ms. Martian O'Shea. One trains spiritual directors and the second, building on that, trains people to accompany others in the Spiritual Exercises. He has published an audio CD series with Learn25 (formerly Know You Know Media) on the dynamics of the Spiritual Exercises and has vimeo presentations about discerning spirits and discerning God's will on YouTube. For 27 he was a professor of, systematic theology, religious superior, and academic dean at Weston Jesuit School of Theology in Cambridge, MA. He is currently Special Assistant to the President of Georgetown University.